Enhancement of antitumor activity of bleomycin by benzamide in vitro and in vivo.

The cytotoxic effects of bleomycin on HeLa cells in culture were enhanced by incubation of the cells with benzamide, a potent inhibitor of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, at concentrations at which benzamide alone did not show any cytotoxicity. Benzamide plus bleomycin display enhanced therapeutic effects against Ehrlich ascites tumor cells in vivo. On daily treatment with various doses of bleomycin plus benzamide for 10 days, mice with Ehrlich ascites tumors survived longer than mice on treatment with bleomycin alone.